Island



(No Model.)

' N. F. MATHEWSON.

RAILWAY GAR GATE. N0. 402,95 Patented May 7, 1889 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN F. MATHEWVSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

RAI LWAY-CAR GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 402,956, dated May 7, 1889. Application filed. February 4, 1889- Serial No. 298,620. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHAN F. MATHEW- SON, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Car Gates; and I declare the following to be a specification thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Like letters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a railway-car platform and steps with my improved gate closed. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a railway-car platform and steps with my improved gate open. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same.

My invention relates to the kind of railwaycar gates in which the gate is hinged to the end of the car and swings to and latches upon the front guard or rail of the platform; and it consists of such a gate provided with a folding platform which is hinged to the gatebottom, and which lies horizontally to cover the stairway when the gate is closed, and folds up perpendicularly against the gate as the gate is opened, such folding being facilitated by means of a grooved wheel mounted upon said platform and running along a curved rod or track, as hereinafter fully specified.

In the drawings, A represents the side, B the end, and C the platform, of a railway-car. The front guard or rail is shown at D, and the steps at E. The gate F, having atop rail, a, side bars, I) b, and bottom rail, 0, between which a wire netting or lattice-Work extends, is hinged by a rod, d, to the support G, which is fastened to the end B of the car, said top rail, a, and bottom rail, 0, being extended on that side beyond the side bar b to form such hinge-connection. The gate has a verticallysliding or other latch, e, mounted in a case, m,

as shown, in which case a spring maybe placed.

to operate said latch automatically. A folding platform, H, having an external frame, n, to support a lattice-work of strips or rods, is hinged at 0 at both bottom corners to the bottom rail, 0, of the gate F. A grooved wheel, I, is mounted on said frame a, at one side thereof, as shown in each of the figures, and is adapted to travel along a curved track, J, which is fastened to the end of the car, as shown. This track extends horizontally a short distance from the end of the car, as seen in Fig. 3, and then turns to form a corner, as shown at p in Figs. 1 and 2, and from that point is bent in an are, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. It is fastened to the carat both ends to keep it rigidly in position. A catch, 7', is placed on the car to engage with the latch e to keep the gate open, and a catch, 5, is formed on the guard-rail D to engage with the latch e to keep the gate closed. A hand-rail, L, is fastened to the gate F. i.-

'When the gate is closed, it is latched on the Y guard-rail D, and the hinged platform H lies horizontally at a right angle with the gate F,

as shown in Fig. 2, over the steps E. When the gate is swung open, the grooved wheel I runs up the inclined curved track J, and the platform H turns upon its hinges 0 into the perpendicular position parallel with the gate F, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. When the gate is swung back parallel With the end of the car, the wheel lies horizontally on the straight portion of the track J, and the latch e engages with the catch 0''. The steps are now uncovered, and the passengers may pass over them, the hand-rail L being in the usual position. To close the gate again, the latch e is disengaged from the catch 0", and the gate is swung to the guard-rail D. It carries with it the platform H, which is hinged thereto, and the wheel I rolls down the track J, bringing the platform from the perpendicular to the horizontal position again. The weight of the platform itself as it trundles down the inclined track assists in closing the gate and latching it on the guard-rail. p

The purpose of my invention is to cover the steps as well as to close the entrance to the car. Car-gates are a Well-known contrivance to protect passengers from falling from the platform while passing from one car to another when the train is in motion, or to prevent passengers from leaving the train at improper times; but such gates have not heretofore been constructed or adapted to cover the steps with a guard or platform of any kind, l

and so are insufficient to protect a passenger from falling on the steps themselves while the train is moving. My device furnishes a temporary platform for such purpose, and pre vents any danger of falling there. It is obvious that said Wheel and track may be dispensed with, and the platform H may be lifted and lowered by hand orotherwise to uncover or cover the steps, as desired; but I prefer the construction shown, because by it the platform is operated automatically by the opening and shutting of the gate itself.

I claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A railway-car gate hinged at one side to the car, in combination with a folding platform hinged to the gate at its bottom, adapted to lie horizontally when the gate is closed and to fold up against said gate when the gate is open, substantially as specified.

2. The railway-car gate hinged at one side to the car, in combination with the folding platform hinged .to the gate at its bottom, and having the wheel and the inclined track for the travel of said wheel, substantially as described.

In a railway-car having a platform and steps, the combination of the hinged gate F, the latch e, the platform H, hinged at the bottom of said gate, the wheel I, the inclined grack J, and the catch 1', substantially as speciied.

4. In a railway-car having a platform and steps, the combination of the hinged gate F, the latch e, the platform I-I, hinged at the bottom of said gate, the wheel I, the inclined track J, the guard D, and the catch 8, substantially as specified.

5. In a railway-car having a platform and steps, the combination of the hinged gate F, the latch e, the catches 0' s, the platform II, hinged at the bottom of the gate, the wheel I, the inclined track J, and the guard D, substantially as specified.

6. In a railway-car having a platform and steps, the combination of the hinged gate F, the latch e, the catches r s, the platform I-I, hinged at the bottom of said gate, the wheel I, the inclined track J, the guard D, andthe hand-rail L, substantially as specified.

NATHAN F. MATHEWSON.

\Vitnesses:

DANIEL W. FINK, WARREN R. PERCE. 

